SUV Review: 2008 Porsche Cayenne GTS

Originally published: August 10, 2011

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The Porsche Cayenne GTS has without a doubt, the sweetest-sounding exhaust of any vehicle ever.OK, maybe the V12 Aston Martin DB9 or the Ferrari F430 sing with more sonorous notes. But these are not everyday sport-utility vehicles able to plough through mud or snow one day, haul the lads to hockey the next or tow 3,500 kilograms of car and trailer to the race track — where it could easily turn a few impressive laps itself.Porsche addicts already know the GTS as the best-handling Cayenne traversing the Earth, those three initials not used lightly since they are borrowed from the 904 GTS Carrera race cars of 1964, which weighed about half as much as today’s Cayenne.With a six-speed manual as standard equipment, this raging bull stands apart from every other Cayenne in the herd as much for its hunkered-down angry look as that addictive choir emanating from the four chrome oval pipes out back.I almost had to apologize to my neighbours who had thrown scorn and frowns my way from all that rumbling of the 4.8-litre V8 in my driveway. But the engine revving in the 2008 model I drove could not be helped. Nor could the constant pressure I kept applying to the throttle every time the GTS got underway. Its 405 horsepower thundered out the gate with the force of 369 pound-feet of torque, delivering an irrepressible, oh-what-a-joy feeling over and over again. Indeed, the GTS could be the most entertaining way to get through winter when your 911 is hibernating.There’s little argument the Cayenne GTS is the enthusiast’s all-weather vehicle, competing with the BMW X5, Infiniti FX50 and Audi Q7. With seating for five, all-wheel drive and 19 cubic feet in the back (63 cu. ft. with the seats down), that’s less space than the X5 but more than the Infiniti. Either way, it’s enough to swallow four hockey bags and sticks.But the machine itself, with all its power, handling and Porscheness, makes the dreaded awfulness of winter something that could almost be tolerated.The GTS coddles its driver in leather-bound luxury under a canopy of alcantara, thrilling with zero-to-96-kilometres-an-hour sprints in 5.7 seconds and impressing the heck out of everyone with all-weather and off-road prowess. Even the look of the GTS warms the soul in the way no other SUV does — even the way no other Cayenne does (except maybe the Turbo) thanks to its low ride height, wider wheel arches, 21-inch wheels and Turbo-sourced front and rear fascias. There was joy in every turn of the heated, leather steering wheel and smiles with every kilometre under foot. But there are also a few changes that could elevate the GTS to a higher plateau.High among them are changing the parking brake so it is controlled by hand up top near the centre console — or, better, equipped with an Audi-like electronic park brake. With a manual transmission, it was a pain to use the foot brake over and over again. More of an issue, however, was first gear, which felt too short: Little more than 30 km/h is reached before the need to shift into second, which again requires shifting just past 60 km/h. Even at the highway speed of 123 km/h, the tach displays 3,000 rpm in sixth gear, way too high for a 2,222-kilogram vehicle that needs as much help as it can to improve fuel economy (I averaged 15.1 L/100 km in combined city and highway driving). The best solution would be to equip the GTS with Porsche’s brilliant new PDK seven-speed transmission.As it was, I recorded fuel economy averages that touched a low of 25 L/100 km to a high of 14 on the highway — but then I was far more interested in enjoying the engine than meeting its efficiency targets.Road holding is unquestionably the GTS’s strong point. With the optional dynamic chassis control, the SUV is able to handle and corner in the way no vehicle this heavy should. Though you can feel the heft every now and then, the GTS remains as stable on its feet as Anna Kournikova in a power serve.Never does this Cayenne feel tippy or exhibit the usual lean in corners that most other SUVs suffer from. Steering does not deliver the exquisite feedback or response of a 911, but the GTS tracks with beautiful efficiency. It’s very much like driving a sports car.The GTS can also be equipped with dynamic chassis control, which can be set to three modes — sport, normal and comfort — with sport mode lowering the ride height, sharpening the throttle angle and opening up the exhaust ports to extract even more sound. For deep snow, the ride height can be raised to terrain level. The difference between the lowest loading level to the highest off-road level was approximately 10 centimetres. Torque split is 38%/62% front to rear, and the centre differential can be locked with the press of a button.The interior is rich with Porsche personality, including a beautiful array of instruments. For 2009, the GTS gets the upgraded radio and communication system found in the 911 as well as the optional Bluetooth and iPod jack. I still found the cup holders and some switches too small, and there was no obvious cubby to store my BlackBerry. I also found it unfortunate that the GTS does not come standard with a backup camera — to protect those pretty painted bumpers.All of that is immediately forgotten, however, as soon as one fires up the engine and clicks on the optional Bose surround-sound system. The sound from both is so good, so pure that GTS owners have their own concert to enjoy every time they go for a drive.National Postdmcnaughton@canwest.com